Even after shifting rookie Mike Leake to the bullpen last week the Reds still have more capable starters than their rotation can hold, so it sounds like they’ll end up using Aaron Harang as a reliever once he returns from the disabled list.
Harang has been the Opening Day starter for the Reds in each of the past five seasons and has started 231 of his 235 career games, but he was terrible before landing on the DL last month and has gone 18-38 with a 4.63 ERA in 447 innings since 2008.
He’s also allowed 11 runs in 11 innings while rehabbing in the minors, which is why the Reds may ask Harang to make another start at Triple-A before coming off the DL and general manager Walt Jocketty told Mark Sheldon of MLB.com that they “will probably use him as a long man” initially whenever he does return.